Machine for making sanitary napkins



1937- c. A. FOURNESS El AL 2,090,116

MACHINE FOR MAKING SANITARY NAPKINS Filed Aug. 14, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet lv m EE u g- 1937- c. A. FOURNESS ET AL 0, 16

MACHINE FOR MAKING SANITARY NAPKINS Filed Aug. 14, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented Aug. 17, 1937 MACHINE FOR MAKING SANITARY NAPKINS Charles A.Foul-non, Appleton, and Charles J.

Greiner, Menasha,

Wis minors to International Cellucotton Products. Company, Chlcago,111., a corporation of Delaware Application August 14 use, semi No.90,028 a mm. (01. 1154-29) This invention relates to machines for makingsanitary napkins, and has reference more particularly to accessory meansfor applying to one or both sides of the creped paper wadding which 6forms the body of the napkin, a cover sheet of smooth soft absorbentpaper or the like to render the napkin more comfortable when worn.

Typical examples of a sanitary napkin machine of a kind to which ourpresent improvements are adapted are shown in Letters Patent to Oscar T.Thompson, No. 1,869,177, granted July 26, 1932 and in Letters Patent toCharles A. Fourness and Oscar E. Hagen, No. 2,036,209, granted April 7,1936. In these machines a con- 5 tinuous flat sheet or strip of crepedpaper wadding is fed by a reciprocating clamp or gripper into the fieldof action of a die mechanism comprising a lower stationary die and anupper vertically reciprocating die, both dies carrying knives which 20cooperate to cut the individual articles from the sheet or strip, andthe upper die also carrying a pair of embossing dies by which the tradename of the article is embossed on the upper surface of the two ends ofthe article. The relation of the 25 severing knives and the embossingdies is such that, as the foremost article is cut oil the next or thesecond succeeding article is embossed, as disclosed in Patent No.2,036,209, above referred to. For the purpose of applying the coveringsheets 30 to the two sides of the wadding sheets, we journal on themachine frame, above and beneath the horizontal bed on which the feedmechanism reciprocates, a pair of spools carrying rolls of the coveringsheets and provide suitable u des for 35 directing the free ends of thesheets into the wadding clamp or gripper and into contact with the upperand lower sides respectively of the wadding sheet, so that, as thewadding is advanced the two covering sheets are advanced with 40 it.Light brakes are applied to the two cover sheet rolls to maintain alight tension on the cover sheets as they are drawn forward.

We have found in practice that the impressment of the topcover sheetinto the wadding 45 sheet by the embossing dies created a sumcient 55zone along with the wadding sheet, and at the same time maintain asuflicient reduced tension on the cover sheet to prevent the formationof wrinkles therein has been one of the objects of the presentinvention, and this we have accomplished on the principle of creating aslack in the cover sheet between successive feed movements, and applyingjust enough tension on the slack portion during the feed movements toinsure smoothness and prevent wrinkling, without causing any back slipof the cover sheet on the wadding sheet. 7

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in verticalsection, showing our improvement and the parts of a sanitary napkinmachine with which the improvement cooperates; the feed mechanismappearing at the end of its forward stroke and the cutting and embossingdies being open.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but showing the feed mechanism at the end ofits rearward stroke and the dies closed.

Fig. 3 is a plan section, viewed on the horizontal plane of the oilsetline 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a plan section through the die mechanism, showing a portion ofthe wadding sheet and top and bottom cover sheets lying'on the lower diemember.

Referring to the drawings, and first briefly describing those parts ofthe machine with which our improvement cooperates, I ll designates aflat table or platform mounted on side frames H and I2 and supporting apair of uprights I 3 in and between which is journaled a spool l4carrying the roll ii of creped paper wadding. In advance of the table I0 and in line therewith is the wadding feed mechanism comprising upperand lower clamps l6 and H, the latter of which is reciprccated to andfrom the former to alternately grip and release the wadding as thelatter is fed forward by a step-by-step movement into the zone of thecutting and embossing dies. The

lower die I8 is stationary, and the upper die I! reciprocates verticallyand carries on its lower side a pair of embossing dies 20 for impressingon the ends of each napkin a trade name, as shown in Fig. 4. Associatedwith the upper die is a reciprocating plate 2| carrying on its underside a pair of V-shaped knives 22 that, as the die descends, makecorrespondingly shaped cuts 23 in the edges of the wadding to give thenapkins the rounded end formation shown in Fig. 4. The clamp or gripperof the feed mechanism is re ciprocated by a lever 24 that is pivotedbetween itsendsat ilonapairofbraeketsll supported onscrossbarflextendingbctweenthetwoside frames ii and If. Theupperendoftheleverflisconnectedbyanadiustablelinkiltothelowersideofthewaddingclamp,anditslowerendisconnectedhyanadjustablelinkfltoaslide Ii carrying a pair of rollers82 between which operatesarotatingcamlt. g

Describing now our "present improvement, 10 Journaled in and between apair of uprights, mounted on the platform II is a spool II carry ing aroll 80 of smooth paper that forms the top cover sheet or strip. Alightly weighted apron 31 suspended from an overhead arm I lies incontact with the surface of the roll 80 and -funca light tension.Brackets ll supported on the side frames II and I! carry bearings forthe spool 4| of a similar roll 42 of smooth paper that constitutes thelower cover sheet for the -"wadding. The same brackets I. may also carrylower bearings for the lower spool 43 of a spare supply roll 44.

The free endof the upper cover sheet from the roll 34 is led under arounded end ll of the upper clamp member it onto the wadding sheet; andthe lower cover sheet from the roll 42 is led over a guide roll 45 intocontact with the under side of the wadding sheet. A weighted apron 40,functionally similar to the apron 31, cooperates as a brake with thesurface of the roll 42 to create a light tension on the lower coversheet as it is drawn oi'f. Pivotally mounted in and between a pair oflugs 41 on the under side of the table I0 is a shaft 40, from which aresuspended a pair of arms 49 in and between the lower ends of which ismounted a rod ii that lies across that portion of the lower cover sheetbetween the roll 42 and the guide roll 45. This rod II is drawn againstthe sheet so as to create a slack therein by a pull spring I! that isconnected at one end to one end of the rod II, as shown in Fig. 3, andat its other end is anchored through a cord 53 to one of the transversetie rods 54 45 connecting the side frames II and i2.

Clamped on the lever 24 is a horizontal arm 55 (Fig. 3), to the free endof which is connected a cord 58 that extends rearwardly around a guidepulley 51 attached to an oblique brace 58 of the frame, the portion ofthe cord beyond the pulley 51 being attached to the rod 5i,substantially opposite the spring 52, as shown in Fig. 3.

Describing the operation, and.- assuming that the free ends of the twocover sheets have been 55 passed into contact with the wadding sheetwithin the clamp or gripper, when the lever 24 is swinging back from itsforward or working stroke, it creates a slack in the cord 56 whichallows the spring 52 to draw the rod 5i forwardly about 60 three inches,thus creating a slack in the portion of the lower cover sheet betweenroll 42 and guide roll 45, as clearly shown in Fig. 2; this three inchslack corresponding to the width of each napkin made by the cutting andembossing dies. When the lever 24 starts forward on its working stroke,it creates a pull on the cord 56 which in turn draws the rod 5irearwardly. This does not entirely eliminate the tension on the slackportion of the cover sheet, but reduces the tension of the spring 52 tosuch an extent that it prevents any slip between the lower cover sheetand the wadding as the feed movement advances. The position of the partsat the conclusion of the forward feed movement is illustrated in Fig. 1.

Thedie operatesto kinbytheknivesllandl effect the endcuts 28 from theforemost napkin with name, asshownatl2inl'ig.4,duringthe -C.-Itwillreadilybeseenthattheembossingdies 20 have the effect of lockingtogether the portions of the top covering sheet 3 and the wadding 1sheet A, throughout the area of the embossments, tions as a brake tomaintain the cover sheet under and this renders it unnecessary to applyto the upper sheet a tension relieving mechanism such as above describedin connection with the lower cover sheet. Since there is no suchembossment on the under side of the napki the wadding and the lowercover sheet have only a friction contact, which wouldcause aback slipof. the cover sheet on the. wadding in the absence of any means forsubstantially reducing the normal tension on the cover sheet during theforward stroke of the feed mechanism. The mechanism shown and describedfor this purpose maintains Just sufficient tension to keep the sheetsmooth and avoid the creation of wrinkles. I

Without limiting ourselves to the specific structural details hereinshown and described,

We claim:

1. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, the combination with meansfor effecting a stepby-step feed of a sheet of absorbent wadding and acover sheet for a side thereof through cutting dies, of means controlledby said feeding means for reducing the tension on said cover sheetduring the feed movement sufficiently to prevent slip.

of said cover sheet on said wadding sheet.

2. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, the combination with meansfor effecting a stepby-step'feed of a sheet of absorbent wadding and acover sheet for a side thereof through cutting dies, of tension meansfor creating a slack in said cover sheet between successive feedmovements, and means for reducing the pull of said tension means duringeach feed movement to a point where it is insuiilcient to cause a slipof said cover sheet on said wadding sheet.

3. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, the combination with meansfor eilecting a stepby-step feed of a sheet of absorbent wadding and acover sheet for a side thereof through cutting dies, of tension meansfor creating a slack in said cover sheet between successive feedmovements, and means controlled by said feeding means for reducing theforce of said tension means during each feed movement to a point whereit is insuflicient to cause va slip of said cover sheet on said waddingsheet.

4. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, the combination with meansfor effecting a stepby-step feed of a sheet of absorbent wadding andcause a slip of said cover sheet on said wadding sheet.

5. In a machine for making sanitary napkins, the combination with means,including a reciprocating lever, for effecting a step-by-step feed of asheet of absorbent wadding and a cover sheet for a side thereof throughcutting dies, of a supply spool for said cover sheet, a guide roll fordirecting said cover sheet from-said spool to said feeding means, apivotally suspended rod extending across said cover sheet between saidspool and guide roll, a pull spring acting through said rod to create aslack in said cover sheet between successive feed movements, and meanscontrolled by said lever for lessening the pull of said spring duringeach i'eed movement toza point where it is insuillcient to cause a slipof said cover sheet on said wadding sheet.

6. In a machine 101' making sanitary napkins,

the combination with means, including a reciprocatlng lever, foreflecting a step-by-step ,feed of a sheet 01' absorbent wadding and acover sheet for a side thereof through cutting dies, of a supply spoolfor said cover sheet, a guide roll for directing said cover sheet fromsaid spool to said feeding means, a pivotally suspended rod ex-' tendingacross said cover sheet between said spool and guide roll, a pull springacting through said rod to create a slack in said cover sheet betweensuccessive feed movements, a cord connecting said lever with said rod,and cord-guiding means through which a movement of said lever in itsfeed direction causes said rod to swing in the opposite directionagainst the pull of said spring and lessens the tension exerted by saidrod on the cover sheet. 7

CHARLES A. FOURNESS,

CHARLES J. GREINER.

